Epigenética da endometriose e sua perspectiva terapêutica no marco de um sistema integral de atenção da infertilidade: revisão e proposta de investigação

Endometriosis consists in the ectopic presence of endometrial glands and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity (mainly in ovaries and on the surface of internal organs of the pelvic cavity). It is one of the most common benign gynecological disorders in reproductive-age women. There are various theories to explain endometriosis. The most widely accepted theory is known as “retrograde menstruation”. Common endometriosis symptoms include pelvic or abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, heavy menstrual bleeding, non-menstrual pelvic pain, ovulation pain, dyschezia, dysuria, chornic fatigue syndrome, and fertility problems. Various studies have associated endometriosis with the onset of ovarian cancer, with carcinoma development in 5 to 10% of women with ovarian endometriomas. The successful development of therapeutic strategies to control endometriosis depends on a correct identification of the epigenetic patterns and gene candidates to be targeted by treatment.